


Star Wars Episode IX: The Destiny of a Jedi

by romancered



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ben Solo Deserved Better, Ben Solo y e a r n s, Bendemption, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, F/M, Fix-It, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Good Parent Han Solo, M/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey & Rose Tico Are Best Friends, Rey is Not a Palpatine, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, a Sith wayfinder is now a Sith holochron, buddy adventures, but kylo is one of the buddies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21987766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romancered/pseuds/romancered
Summary: In the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, our heroes face new challenges. Kylo and Rey try not to give into their deepest desires, Poe and Finn wrestle with complicated emotions, and the Resistance takes one last stand against the First Order. When the Emperor announces his return, the Dark and the Light will go on a quest of a lifetime in order to bring balance to the galaxy.
Relationships: Ben Solo & Han Solo, Kylo Ren/Rey, Leia Organa & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Poe Dameron/Finn, Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Rose Tico
Comments: 12
Kudos: 36





	1. Prologue

One year after the Battle of Crait, the FIRST ORDER strengthens its hold on the galaxy.  
Surviving RESISTANCE members have settled on the moon of Ajan Kloss,  
as they try to find allies in their fight against the Order and their Supreme leader, KYLO REN.  
General LEIA ORGANA sends two of her bravest fighters to gather intelligence  
on the recently occupied planet of Cann, while Kylo Ren mounts a desperate  
search to find REY, the last of the Jedi, when a new threat  
emerges from the shadows and puts the fate of the galaxy at stake…


	2. Be With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favorite space boyfriends go on a mission, Rey trains her abilities (and her nerves) when Kylo Ben shows up, and Rose gets more than two lines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Today we have quite a few things on our agenda.  
> Number one: pray to our Lord and Savior Ben Solo.  
> Number two: cry in a corner  
> Number three: sharpen our pitchforks and head to Disney HQ.  
> Number four: rewrite The Rise of Skywalker so that the story actually makes sense in the context of the other eight movies.
> 
> Let's get started. The trauma isn't going to heal itself.

"You ever gonna go?”

Finn and Poe watched as Chewie contemplated his next move for a solid five minutes. They weren’t sure if the Wookie was playing them or if he was really stumped, but they were approaching Cann and Poe was getting impatient.

Poe discreetly turned to Finn. “How does he keep beating us?”

“He’s cheating.”

The Wookie roared.

“Okay, okay, you’re not cheating!” Poe laughed. “You’re 250 years older than us, of course you’re better.”

“Just make the move already,” Finn added. “You’re stalling, that’s why we think you’re cheating!”

Chewie rose from his seat, indignant, when the alarm started blaring. Another roar directed at Finn and Poe, and then he was gone.

“Fine,” Poe promised, “we won’t turn it off.”

“He’s gotta be cheating, right?” Finn asked as soon as the Wookie was out of earshot.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Poe said, switching the game off. He made a mental note to never get into another game of dejarik with Chewie unless he wanted to get his arms ripped out.

Poe and Finn rushed to the cockpit, where Chewie was preparing the Falcon for landing.

“How’s it looking out there? Can we get around the First Order troops?”

Chewie wailed in response.

Poe rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know they’re everywhere. It wouldn’t be much of an occupation if they stationed three TIEs and ten troopers on the planet, would it?”

Chewie made a move to get out of his seat, causing Poe to raise his hands, trying to pacify the annoyed Wookie.

“Okay, message clear – I’ll shut up now.”

“Finally,” Finn teased from the back of the cockpit.

Poe shot him a look. “Would you get to the guns, please? In case anyone else tries to kill us today.”

Finn gave a mocking salute, clearly amused by the whole situation. “Aye, aye, captain.”

“Everyone on this ship hates me,” Poe muttered.

Getting through the First Order blockade proved to be a tough endeavor, but Chewie managed to find an opening long enough for them to sneak past the convoy of ships that guarded the planet’s atmosphere. Once they weren’t in danger of being caught, Poe realized they had no plan for getting _off_ the planet, but he figured they would deal with that problem when the time to haul ass came.

They landed on a small clearing far away from any settlements. Their contact, a creature named Boolio, was already there, waiting for them.

“Boolio, good to see you,” Finn greeted the Ovissian as they disembarked the Falcon.

“And you, my friends.”

“No time for pleasantries, I’m afraid,” Poe interrupted. “The Order could find us on their scanners at any second. Does your government have any plans about how they’re gonna fight this thing, Boolio? The Resistance is ready to assist Cann in any way we can if it means getting the First Order off your planet.”

Boolio shook his head, looking forlorn. “The situation has changed, my friends. The Resistance has no allies here anymore.”

Poe and Finn exchanged a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

“Our ruling members have announced this isn’t an occupation anymore after meeting with Supreme leader. I don’t know the details of their meeting, but last I’ve heard, the Order has offered military and economic support which our government couldn’t refuse.”

“But they’re controlling your planet!” Poe shouted. “You can’t let them buy you into submission!”

Finn put a calming hand on his shoulder. “Poe, that’s enough.”

“The times are tough, my friends,” Boolio said. “Our planet has been plagued with poverty and war ever since the fall of the Empire. The First Order offered a solution to all our problems, how could we refuse?”

Poe shook his head. “I don’t believe this.”

“It doesn’t matter what any of us believe anymore. I only came here today to stop you rushing headfirst into battle, only to find you have no allies on the other side.”

Suddenly, Finn grabbed Poe by the shoulder.

“Poe, we’ve got incoming!”

Poe cursed under his breath as a dozen TIE fighters came into view. Finn was already running towards the Falcon, but Poe turned to Boolio before he followed.

“Come with us!”

Boolio shook his head. “My place is with my people. I couldn’t leave them any more you could leave the Resistance. Good luck, Poe.”

Poe could only nod in response, throat suddenly thick with emotion.

“Poe, come on!” Finn shouted from the ramp. Once onboard, Finn headed to the gunner cockpit, while Poe joined Chewie on the controls.

“Finn, do you copy?”

Finn’s voice crackled through the commlink. “I copy.”

“Let’s show these asshats what the Resistance is made of.”

-

Rey could feel the energy of the surrounding forest tickling her skin. The Force was strong on Ajan Kloss, thanks to the abundant flora and fauna found on the planet. She willed herself to empty her mind, trying to focus on her immediate surroundings.

“Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.”

A bird chirped somewhere in the distance. Rey opened her eyes.

“They’re not with me.”

Feeling frustrated, she lowered herself until her feet touched the ground. The rocks, which had levitated around her, also surrendered to the planet’s gravity.

“I’m starting to think it isn’t possible to speak to the Jedi who came before,” Rey announced.

Leia emerged from the shadow of a big tree.

“Nothing’s impossible,” her master assured her, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’ll succeed next time, I’m sure.”

“Thank you, Master. I only wish I had as much faith in myself as you do.”

Leia handed her Luke’s lightsaber; Rey reluctantly accepted.

“What else are we masters here for?”

It was a rhetorical question, but Rey could think of many other reasons - to give her hope, reassure her when she needed it most, and, perhaps most importantly, to remind her that you can always _choose_ the light. Given Luke and Leia’s family history, thinking of them proved to be the biggest source of Rey’s strength whenever she wrestled with her own darkness. And lately, darkness found her more and more often.

“I’m going to run the training course.”

Rey felt silly sometimes, running the same course for what seemed the hundredth time. She couldn’t escape the thought that she was running away from something – or someone. No matter how hard she trained, no matter how tired her body got, she could never tire her mind completely, her thoughts always drifting back to the one that haunted her.

The one suddenly standing in front of her, amidst the foliage.

Rey stopped in her tracks.

His eyes were closed, as if he were meditating, his hand hovering over something Rey couldn’t see. She didn’t know if he was aware of her presence or not, but she didn’t plan on sticking around long enough to find out.

The moment she turned on her heel, he spoke.

He had sensed her, then.

“Rey. It’s been a while.”

His eyes stayed closed. Rey shifted in her spot, trying desperately not to think how pleasant it was to hear him say her name.

“Could’ve been longer, to be honest.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. If Rey didn’t know better, she would think he almost smiled.

“Are you and your friends still resisting? It would seem your merry group has lost some steam,” he said, nonchalant. “I guess the last Jedi isn’t doing a good job of inspiring hope after all.”

She glowered at him. “Are you trying to provoke me?”

Kylo finally opened his eyes. Rey would be lying is she said she didn’t immediately feel drawn to them.

“I’m trying to make you see that the Resistance is pointless, obsolete. The galaxy is finally waking up to see the truth. Soon, only the First Order will remain.”

He was starting to sound like a maniacal dictator again, which only served to remind Rey of the last encounter they’ve had face to face. It seemed like Kylo was hell-bent on proving to her just how different he and Ben Solo were, and Rey resented him for it.

She had no patience for his nonsense. Not anymore.

Rey called a hefty branch to her side. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

She swung at him, putting all her strength into the strike. Kylo easily dodged, incredulous that she'd try such a feeble attack, especially because they both saw she had a lightsaber hanging on her belt. Before he had a chance to say anything, though, he disappeared, leaving her alone again.

BB-8 beeped unhappily, startling her. Rey found him stuck under a tree she’d knocked over during her training. If Kylo hadn’t appeared, she would’ve realized what she’d done sooner.

She rushed to his side. “Oh, BB-8, I’m so sorry. I’ll get you out, don’t worry.”

She made her way back to the base, BB-8 trailing behind her, pointedly ignoring the way her hands were shaking.

-

Commotion in the base alerted her of Finn and Poe’s arrival. Rey fought her way through a horde of people trying to get to the hangar, where she found the Falcon engulfed in flames. Finn and Poe came into view, thankfully unscathed.

Rey hurried to greet them. “How’d it go?”

Poe was not in the mood. “Really bad, actually.”

“What happened to Han’s ship?”

“Nothing, we - what happened to BB-8?!” Poe yelled as soon as he saw the droid.

“First you tell me what you did with the Falcon!”

Chewie roared.

Rey turned to Poe, bewildered. “You lightspeed skipped?! Poe, you can’t do that in the Falcon!”

“You dropped a tree on my droid!” Poe accused.

“BB-8’s not on fire!”

“What’s left of him isn’t on fire!”

“It’s going to be near impossible to repair the ship, I really can’t believe you did that.”

He waved her off. “It’s going to be fine.”

Rey smiled, hoping Poe could see she wanted to throttle him. “You know what you are? You’re difficult. You’re a difficult man.”

“And what about you?” Poe challenged, rising to his feet. “You’re the best fighter we’ve got. We really could’ve used you out there. The First Order nearly made us into a stain on a random meteor.”

Rey’s confidence faltered. “I… I was training.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much all you’ve done lately, isn’t it? While we’re risking our lives out there, you’re here, training for something only you seem to know about.”

Finn finally decided to intervene before things escalated even further.

“Hey, that’s enough, you two. You can fight later if you have to; right now, we need to deliver the news to Leia.”

Rey stared at Poe defiantly, refusing to be the one to break eye-contact. Poe backed down first, giving her a curt nod before walking away. Rey was left feeling awful; Finn sighed as he watched their friend leave.

“Bad mood?”

Finn pointed at himself. “Me?”

Rey nodded at Poe. “Him.”

“Always. Come on, let’s go,” Finn said, nodding to where a group of Resistance fighters was forming around Leia and Poe.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Rose said just as Rey and Finn joined the group. “Why would Cann refuse help from the Resistance?”

Leia sighed. “The new Supreme Leader has a different approach to his role than Snoke did. Instead of using brute force to bend systems to his will, Kylo Ren is offering them the bare minimum they need to live well while gaining access to their resources to grow his army.”

Rey could sense worry intensifying in her fellow fighters. The mood, somber and despondent, was a stark contrast to the hopeful one Rey had gotten used to during her time with the Resistance.

“So Kylo Ren has basic knowledge of diplomacy, big deal. A diplomatic dictatorship is still a dictatorship,” Poe countered.

“I completely agree, general. For now, though, it would seem we’ve hit a dead end. I suggest we all get some rest today and then tomorrow we’ll consider our options. Helping someone who doesn’t want our help would be nothing short of foolish, and we’d be serving ourselves on a silver platter to the First Order. You’re all dismissed.”

Rey could tell that Poe had more to say, he didn’t want to put the matter to rest, but decided not to argue with Leia. After the Holdo debacle, Poe had had to bite his tongue more than once, in case Leia thought to demote him again.

One by one, the Resistance members dispersed, until the only two people left were Leia and Rey.

Leia’s voice broke the silence.

“When he was young, I tried to teach him how to be a good diplomat,” Leia said, her voice sounding more tired than Rey had ever heard before. “I just never thought he would apply his knowledge in this way.”

“At least he didn’t follow in Snoke’s footsteps.”

Leia smiled, but her smile was hardly a joyous one.

“A small consolation, but a consolation nonetheless.”

Later, after Leia had retreated to her chambers, Rey decided to spend her time wisely and study the texts. She settled in her favorite spot – a small patch of grass overlooking the base – and tried to focus on the material before her.

It was easier said than done, however, because certain parts of the texts were so convoluted, they made Rey feel like she was illiterate. She read the same paragraph twice, sometimes thrice, but the meaning of what she’d read escaped her. Her temper flared whenever she couldn’t understand something, and more than once she had to restrain herself from setting the damn book on fire.

Rose found her during one of her episodes.

“Oh, Rey! Is… is this a bad time?” she asked, taking in Rey’s rugged appearance and slightly crazed eyes.

Rey sighed, running a hand over her face. “No, I’m just… struggling.”

“Is it difficult to understand?”

“Impossible.”

Rose kindly offered her a piece of fruit before taking a seat opposite Rey.

“Well, no one ever said being a Jedi was easy.”

“You can say that again,” Rey agreed, mouth blissfully full of food, completely oblivious to the juice dripping down her chin as she chewed.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying each other’s company. During her year with the Resistance, Rose was the only person that had managed, after Leia, to make Rey feel less alone.

Their camaraderie began when Rey found the young woman crying in an X-wing one night, clutching her sister’s medallion close to her chest. And even though Rey hadn’t thought of herself as a person who could console someone, that night she had tried and succeeded. And when Rose asked why she was wandering around the base at such an ungodly hour, Rey admitted she couldn’t sleep because of her nightmares. Rose proposed getting a drink to help them sleep better. One drink turned into fifteen, and both Rey and Rose had to lie that they'd fallen ill the next day to cover up their hangover.

Now, Rose watched in amusement as Rey yawned for the sixth time in twelve minutes, eyelids dropping as she struggled to decipher the ancient texts.

“I think you should get some rest."

Rey nodded, too exhausted to argue otherwise. She was barely conscious as she made her way to her bunk, feet running on autopilot. Somewhere along the way, she had lost both her clothes and the texts, but none of that mattered when her head hit the pillow, because the nightmare started almost immediately.

And this time, it was different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!  
> See you all next time, when I will sell my soul to the devil in order to turn back time before JJ signed his contract.
> 
> And remember: constructive criticism is appreciated, compliments feed my soul, and Ben Solo is our soft daddy.


	3. The Pull to the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo and Rey discover a new threat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big things are coming!  
> In this chapter, we start to see the main differences between this story and TROS. Kylo isn't a shitty leader whose only job is running after Rey. Rey isn't a heartless action figure like they'd portrayed her in the movie. Their relationship is quite complicated, as it should be, given everything they've gone through.  
> Wayfinder adventure across a bazillion planets? We don't fuck with that.  
> Kylo and Rey working together to find and defeat the Emperor? We fuck with that.  
> Also, I thought that Hux and KOR were criminally underused in the movie (by which I mean, not at all), and we 'bout to change that.

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Rey said, stubborn as always, as she swung a branch at him. He couldn’t hide his surprise that she’d try something as silly as attacking him with a stick, but before he had a chance to say something, the connection broke and he was left standing in his quarters.

Kylo couldn’t deny the impact that seeing her again had on him. It’d been nearly two months since they last spoke - if lazily crafted insults could even be considered conversation.

He shut his eyes, relishing the feeling of having her close again. He only felt _real_ when she was there.

Before his mind could linger on the tantalizing image of her - chest rising with quick breaths, pupils blown, mouth parted slightly as she waited for him to speak – an officer arrived to tell him the Council wanted to see him.

Kylo’s first instinct was to lash out at the interruption, but he managed to control himself. He knew that if he were to be taken seriously as the new Supreme Leader, he couldn’t mindlessly throw officers around like before. 

He tried to keep an air of confidence around him as he entered the room.

“Supreme Leader, thank you for joining us,” one of his admirals spoke as soon as Kylo took his seat at the head of the table.

Kylo despised pleasantries. His temper almost immediately flared. “What’s this about, Admiral Griss?”

“We merely wanted to congratulate you on the fine job you did on Cann, my Lord.”

“Are you all still questioning my credibility as the new Supreme Leader?”

Admiral Griss swallowed a lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. “Not at all, my Lord.”

“Then I see no reason for me to be here. I have more pressing matters to attend to.”

Hux, that ginger irritant, had the nerve to laugh but covered it up with a cough immediately after.

Allegiant General Pryde spoke as Kylo rose from his seat.

“There is one thing we wanted to discuss with you, Supreme Leader.”

“And what’s that?”

“How long do you plan on using this… friendly,” Pryde said the word like it disgusted him, “approach?”

Kylo looked at him, unamused. “ _Friendly_ approach? You mean, how long do I plan to use diplomacy to convince systems to join our cause without desire for rebellion? How long do I plan to grow the strength of the First Order while rendering the Resistance useless?”

Hux fidgeted in his seat. “It just isn’t the way things were done, Supreme Leader, that’s all.”

“Maybe it’s time for a new way of doing things, General Hux,” Kylo smirked. “If you disagree, I have an easy solution.”

He could hear Hux choking even as he strode out of the room.

-

Kylo immediately knew that he wasn’t dreaming. This was something else.

He didn’t know where he was, but the place made him uneasy. It was desolate and barren, illuminated only by the lightning that flashed overhead.

A voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once.

_“Finally, my children.”_

“Ben, what is this?”

He turned around, only to come face to face with Rey.

“Where are we?” She demanded in an accusatory tone. “What did you do?”

“I had nothing to do with this,” he replied coolly.

“And you expect me to believe that?”

_“You should,”_ the voice interrupted. _“It was I who brought you here.”_

Kylo ignited his lightsaber, already running out of patience. He wasn’t sure if the voice came from a specified place or if it was only in their heads but based on Rey’s reaction – the sudden jerk of her head and the look of horror on her face – he guessed it was the latter.

“Who are you?” Rey asked, looking up at the sky. “What do you want?”

_“Child, I am everything you’re running away from,”_ came the booming reply, followed by a pause. _“The legacy of the One who denies his family, and the solitude of the One who doesn’t have it.”_

Rey flinched at the words. Kylo felt his own rage increase tenfold.

_“And now, I’m finally strong enough to help you fulfill your destiny. You two are the duality of the Force – the Light and the Dark. Soon, we will unite and rule the galaxy as one!”_

Kylo sneered at that.

“I’m done serving others.”

“And I’ll never join you,” Rey added through gritted teeth. “Whatever it is you want; you’ll never get it from us.”

_“You can’t escape your destiny! If you try, everything you know and love will be taken from you. The world will burn while you watch, too powerless to do anything.”_

At that moment, Kylo felt a horrible pain, like his mind was being torn apart. Images of the galaxy in ruins flashed before his eyes like a vision, and all around him, he heard millions of voices scream in terror before they all quieted at once. The vision left him feeling like there was a gaping hole in both his chest and mind; one look at Rey told him she was feeling the same.

“I’ve had enough,” Kylo muttered. He was exhausted and felt like his mind had been violated, but he couldn’t stand around and do nothing anymore. “Show yourself and face us! Unless you’re too afraid.”

That finally got him the reaction he was looking for.

_“Afraid?!”_ the voice bellowed. _“I am the one true Emperor; I have no reason to be afraid of two sniveling children!”_

The ground beneath their feet started to shake violently.

Kylo turned to Rey.

“We have to get out of here.”

“How?!” Rey yelled back, struggling to keep her balance. Her eyes landed on his lightsaber, and her face lit up with an idea. “Ben, maybe this is like our connection!”

He recalled the first time the Force connected them, and how he’d disappeared when she tried to shoot him with her blaster. Just as he was going to give her his saber, Rey widened her stance and straightened her back, giving him an opening to strike her.

“Run me through with your lightsaber.”

Kylo hesitated, suddenly unsure.

The world around them was crumbling with alarming speed. Rey turned to him with an urgency in her eyes.

“Now!”

“You better be right about this,” he said, before bringing his blade down on her.

-

Rey’s own scream woke her up. Heart still beating wildly in her chest, she jumped off her cot, and with a shaking hand called Luke’s lightsaber to her side. Hearing the soft buzz made her feel less on edge, and the blue light of the blade chased away the dark.

She immediately called out to Kylo through the Force, hoping to soothe the growing ache in her chest. He didn’t appear like she hoped he would, but she could sense him, bewildered and confused just like her. She was simultaneously relieved and disappointed that he hadn’t come to her. Against her better judgment, she needed reassurance that he was okay.

That he was safe.

Moments later, Finn barged into her room with Poe following close behind. The confused look on their faces when they found Rey clutching her lightsaber in an empty room was almost comical.

“Rey, what’s wrong?!”

Her throat was as dry as a Jakku desert.

“I… I need to talk to Leia.”

The General was already awake when Rey entered her chambers. Great worry and distress showed on her face.

“Rey, I felt some sort of disturbance in the Force. What happened?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, General.”

Leia’s eyes became sad. “Was it… him?”

“Yes, but it’s not what you think. The disturbance wasn’t Kylo’s doing. Someone, or something, called out to both of us. Kylo didn’t want to be there any more than I did.”

Leia took a seat, trying to process this new information. “Tell me everything that happened.”

“And do you have any idea who brought you to this… place?” Leia asked once Rey had finished telling her story.

Rey stopped to think about everything the voice had said. One thing, in particular, stood out to her. 

“He… He called himself ‘the one true Emperor’,” Rey recalled. “If that means anything to you.”

The General’s eyes widened. She rose from her seat and quickly made her way to Rey, taking Rey’s hands in her own.

“Rey, are you sure?” Leia asked, nearly begging Rey to deny what she’d said. Rey wished she could.

She nodded. “I’m sure.”

Leia dropped Rey’s hands, shocked. “Then we are all in terrible danger:”

-

Rey paced up and down her small room, trying to drown out the noise that came from the outside. Poe, Finn, and Rose waited for her in front of Leia’s tent, and immediately started asking for information, but Rey dismissed them and literally ran away to avoid their questions.

Thousand thoughts flooded her mind, making her feel even more nervous. Through it all, one thought stood out among the rest – a name, appearing over and over again until it became the only thing she could think about.

Finally, she couldn’t take it any longer.

“Ben?” she called out in the emptiness of her room.

Her call was met with silence. Never the one to give up easily, Rey called out again, praying the Force would recognize how much she _wanted_ him to come to her, this one time.

Nothing.

_Kriffing fool,_ she thought, trying to convince herself that the feeling blooming in her chest was anger, not disappointment.

Two weeks had gone by the time he appeared again.

Rey tried to fill her days as best as she could. She trained harder than ever, read more than ever - anything to distract herself from thinking about Kylo and the Emperor.

Knowing the Resistance already had enough on their plate, Leia and Rey agreed not to spread the news of Palpatine and his possible return. Though Leia disagreed, Rey told Poe, Finn, and Rose, feeling like her closest friends had the right to know the truth. Their reactions were better than Rey expected, assuaged by the fact that Palpatine appeared in a vision and only to Rey, which they took to mean he still wasn’t strong enough to take on the living world.

Rey skipped the part about her connection with Kylo. Their bond was something she wanted to keep to herself. Why - she wasn’t sure yet.

Now, she felt his presence even before she saw him.

“You finally decided to show up,” Rey remarked. A moment passed and she wanted to kick herself for sounding so petty.

Kylo arched an eyebrow, something akin to amusement shining in his dark eyes.

Rey attempted to correct the course of the conversation. “I mean… what do you want?”

“I heard when you called,” Kylo admitted, taking Rey by surprise. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come.”

Rey shook her head. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

He knew the answer. He just wanted her to say it.

“Say you’re sorry, treat me with kindness. You’re only making things more difficult. I’d prefer it if you treated me like an enemy.”

“You’re more to me than the rest of them, whether you like it or not.”

His eyes were earnest, and Rey knew he was telling the truth. It was frightening how easily he went from Kylo Ren to Ben, how easily he made her question everything. She tried so hard to forget about Ben Solo for the past year, but one conversation with him quickly made her lose her progress.

She couldn’t let herself be vulnerable with him. He’d sense it.

If he hadn’t already.

Rey decided to change the subject while she still had control over herself.

“That voice we heard, it was-”

“Palpatine,” Kylo interrupted. “I know.”

Rey hated that he acted so casually. She immediately put up her defenses.

“You knew? What, did Kylo Ren find another master to serve? Are you happy he’s returned?”

The emotionless mask of Kylo Ren slipped back into its place as his eyes went cold.

“I said it once and I’ll say it again - I’m done serving others. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have killed Snoke. If you listened for more than a second, you might realize we have a common goal for once.”

“I have nothing in common with you,” Rey bit back.

“Ah, but you do. It’s about time you stopped pretending to be something you’re not.” Kylo eyes flashed dangerously. “Just like you felt my pull to the light, I feel your pull to the darkness. It’s like a festering wound that won’t heal, growing bigger the more you try to ignore it.”

Rey gritted her teeth, angry tears filling her eyes. “Shut up.”

“Even now, I sense it. Your pull to the dark.” His eyes bore into hers. “To _me._ You can’t hide, just like I can’t.”

Rey hadn’t even noticed, but at some point, they started circling each other like a couple of predators. Kylo pushed her to her limits by revealing everything she tried to bury deep down, making her feel helpless, embarrassed, foolish.

She drew her lightsaber.

“I said,” she swung at him, “shut up!”

Kylo easily dodged the blow.

“Palpatine will try to use our weaknesses, our emotions, against us.”

“My emotions concerning you are clear,” Rey said stubbornly.

She swung at him again, but Kylo was quicker; he caught her wrist and pulled her towards him. Their chests collided and the saber fell out of Rey’s hand, suddenly forgotten. She struggled against him, adamant not to look at his face.

“Are they?” his deep voice said, hot breath tickling her ear.

The rush that traveled down her spine was like nothing Rey had experienced before. Their eyes met, her brash reply promptly dying on her lips.

Kylo’s eyes moved over her face, pausing briefly once they’d reached her lips.

He loosened his grip. Rey should have put as much distance between them as possible, but she didn’t. Being so close to him felt dangerous, but also intoxicating.

“I thought so,” Kylo said smugly.

They stood in silence for what seemed like eternity. 

“Will you listen now? I have no desire to join Palpatine, I want him gone as much as you do.”

Rey swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to regain her voice.

“Even if that were true, we have no idea where he is, how strong he is, or how to defeat him,” she said.

“I found a way.”

Rey frowned. “What is it?”

“Have you ever heard of a holocron?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all my fellow Star Wars fans, happy New Year!!  
> I hope this new decade brings you everything you could ever ask for - happiness, love, growth, courage, satisfying endings to your favorite sagas... *eyes Disney*  
> Here's to 10 amazing years of new, creative content. 
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


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